by Conn, Phoebe
BT LOVE ENSLAVED I 335
the wisdom of what she had done. Their bond of love far surpassed whatever differences their backgrounds had given them.
"When my father returns in the spring with more men to help you, your countrymen are bound to be.inspired to join the fight against the Norsemen. If they refuse, then they don't deserve to call Erin their own."
"I'll have to teach you to speak our tongue quickly," Brendan replied with an amused chuckle. "I think men will volunteer in great numbers to follow you. You won't even have to shame them into it."
"I'll do all that I can to help," Dana insisted proudly. "It's the least I can do for my husband."
Deeply pleased to have so devoted a wife, Brendan enfolded Dana in a tender embrace. "Had you not come here with me, I would have gone back to Fyn to get you. I swear I would have. For so long I've dreamed of nothing but coming home, but had you not been here, I would have been more lonely than when I was away."
While she was both touched and flattered by this admission, Dana was also intrigued. "Would you have told me you planned to return?"
Chagrined by the insightful question, Brendan nevertheless admitted the truth. "Probably not."
Dana^s eyes narrowed menacingly as the temper which had once stung him so sharply began to flare. "Do you want me to shove you off the cliff?"
"No," Brendan murmured seductively. "I want you to make love to me until I beg you to stop,"
"Is that a challenge?"
"You may consider it as such."
Dana glanced around the meadow. It was a rich, emerald green that invited a lengthy stay. "You said looking over the cliff was a thrill. Have you ever made love here?"
"Here?" Brendan looked around quickly, and seeing no sign of anyone, he grew as bold as she. He took the precaution of leading her well away from the edge of the cliff before abandoning himself to pleasure, however. "I think with you as my bride, my life is going to be filled with thrills."
336 I PHOEBE CONN
*'ril consider that a challenge as well," Dana replied demurely, but as she helped him pull oflf his kirtle, her fingertips strayed through the thick curls covering his chest and her shy smile grew wide. *'It's been a very exciting summer, hasn't it? The best of my life." "Ah, my beloved, the best is yet to come." They had become adept at removing each other's clothes. Once tihey were both nude, Brendan pulled Dana down into the feather-soft grass, and with the magical affection he had always bestowed, he made that promise come true.
Haakon spent every spare minute of the voyage with Erik. He not only taught him how to swim and sail, but he talked of other things that were important to him, and listened closely to the young man's replies. To his immense delight, he found Erik's mind quick and his judgment sound. He apologized more than once for his neglect, but Erik assured him there was no need to waste time on regrets now that they finally shared the closeness of a father and son. That Erik was so gracious a young man pleased Haakon all the more.
When they reached home, Haakon was so anxious to see Freya he leapt over the rail of his ship the instant it was secured to the dock. He raced up the path, and when Freya, Thora, and Soren came from the house to meet him, he first greeted his children with hugs and kisses, then picked up his wife and swung her around until they were both so dizzy he had to put her down. Freya held on to him tightly and laughed, for she knew he could not possibly be angry with her and still greet her so enthusiastically.
*'Do you know about Erik and Berit?" she asked when she caught her breath.
*'I think it's a fine match, and I'll convince Grena of it this very day," Haakon boasted proudly. "There's another wedding we need to discuss first, though."
"Another wedding?" Freya exclaimed in surprise. "Why, only yesterday Moira told me she'll soon wed one of J0m's crew. Who else is planning marriage?" She left his arms for a moment to return Svien's kiss as he reached her. She then waved to Erik, who was coming up the path with Berit. The
BT LOVE ENSLAVED I 337
lively blonde had raced by Haakon in her haste to welcome home the man she loved. It wasn't until that moment that Freya noticed Dana's absence. "Where's Dana?" she asked anxiously. ''Isn't she with you?"
Haakon's smile was so wide he instantly allayed his wife's fears. "It's rather a long story, but the only thing you need to know now is that Dana has married Brendan and stayed with him in Erin."
"Brendan!" Freya gasped in dismay. "Why, I didn't think she even liked the man."
"She liked him very well indeed," Erik announced as he and Berit joined them. "They just kept it a secret, is all."
Berit was as astonished as her aunt. "Well, I wish you'd told me about them. The next time you share in such a delicious secret, I want you to tell me."
"It wouldn't be a secret then," Erik teased her.
Grena had followed Berit from the house, but thinking Jarald would be with Haakon, she got only close enough to overtiear the tall Dane's remarks. She felt sick to her stomach just imagining Jarald's lustful stare, but when after several moments he didn't appear, she ventured forward. "Is Jarald not with you either?"
"Jarald won't be coming here again," Erik informed her. Then, thinking she would rather hear the story from Haakon, he fell silent.
"Jarald is of no consequence," Haakon announced flippantly as he went forward to give Grena a hug. "Come, let's all go inside and have something to eat and drink. Then we can make arrangements for a wedding between our children. Erik has returned a wealthy man, but I'll warn you now that if you ask too much for Berit I will argue all night to lower her bride-price to a more reasonable one. My son is determined to wed Berit, but I'll not allow him to impoverish himself to do so.'*
Both Berit and Grena stared wide-eyed at Haakon, for neither had ever heard him call Erik his son. That he seemed as set on the marriage as Erik impressed both the women quite favorably.
"Mother?" Berit asked hesitantly. "Don't you think we could at least discuss it?"
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Grena's dreadful experience with Jarald had taught her a valuable lesson, and she would never again judge a man on his wealth alone. That Erik had managed to return home a man of means certainly worked in his favor, however. *'Yes, I think we can discuss it," she agreed. *'j0m's gone home, but we needn't involve him. Now what of your men? Don't they need refreshments as well?"
'*How thoughtful of you, Grena," Haakon responded with another broad grin. "Per is supervising the unloading of the cargo. Do you remember him?"
Grena nodded rather shyly. "Why, yes, I think that I do."
"Good, I invited him to have supper with us when he's finished. In the meantime we'll send something to eat and drink down to the docks."
When Haakon slipped one arm around his wife's waist and the other around Grena to escort them into his home, Berit gave Erik's hand an insistent yank to hold him back. "What's gotten into Haakon? I've never seen him in so relaxed a mood. And what's this about Per? Are they now as close friends as he was with Jarald?"
Erik was well aware of Haakon's plans for Per and Grena, but he thought that another secret be ought to keep for tiie time being. "My father is a remarkable man, but I'U have to tell you what I've learned about him later."
"Oh, Erik, must you keep more secrets?" Berit protested with such a bewitching pout Erik immediately leaned down to kiss her.
"If you're very curious, I could come to your room tonight and we could talk then."
"I want you to come to my room, but not to talk." •
That Berit was so open about her desire for him pleased Bik as greatly as it had before he had gone away. "If you'd like to welcome me home witii something other than conversation, that will be fine with me."
Berit's cheeks flooded with a pretty blush. "I love you and I missed you terribly. You shouldn't tease me about it unless you would be happier if I hadn't noticed that you were gone."
"No, a wife ought to miss her husband, but unless we
BT LOVE ENSIjWED I 339
>
hurry inside, we may never have the opportunity to wed."
Trusting his far more practical nature, Berit laced her fingers in his and turned toward the house. "Is what your father said true? Are you wealthy now?"
*'Does it matter to you?"
Berit stopped at the door. "You know that it doesn't."
"Yes, I Imow," Erik replied. Suddenly die idea of remaining outside for another moment or two was extremely attractive. Longing to again savor the sweet softness of her kiss, Erik drew Berit close. "I love you," he murmured softly before his mouth claimed hers in a lingering kiss.
Thanks to her love, his life had changed completely that summer. It was an exhilarating thought, but befwe it could ftiUy take form, they were joined by Soren and Thora, who had been sent to bring them inside. Releasing Berit, Erik scooped the little girl up into his arms and gave her a loving squeeze. "It won't be long before we'll be making marriage plans for you, baby."
Thora's angelic features became quite forlorn at the comment. "I wanted to wed Brendan myself," she complained. "I'm sure there's not another man like hun."
Berit gave her cousin's golden-red curls a comforting pat. "Somewhere there's a man for you, and whether or not he's anything like Brendan, I know you'll think him perfect."
Thora considered that possibility a long moment and then nodded. She noted the affectionate glance that passed between Erik and Berit as they entered the house and hoped to grow up very quickly so that she could bask in that loving warmth too.
I
NOTE TO READERS
While the characters in By Love Enslaved are fictional, the historical setting is as accurate as I could possibly make it. In the summer of 1983, I had the opportunity to visit Scandinavia and visit many marvelous museums where artifacts from the Viking age may be seen. Particularly spectacular are the actual Viking ships which have been beautifully restored and are on display in both Denmark and Norway. These magnificent ships are more than one thousand years old, and provide a thrill I will never forget.
While Dana and Brendan did not really exist, their love story is an entirely probable one. In the 880s, Danes sought to establish a foothold in Ireland. Welcomed by the Irish, they had considerable success in their initial battles with the Norwegians who had occupied the country for more than fifty years. After three years of fighting, the Norwegians finally defeated the Danes, and no permanent Danish settlements were founded.
By 1002, a prince of the Dal Cais, Brian Bom, was the undisputed High King of Ireland. His defeat of the Norwegians at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 marked the end of the Viking Wars in that country. A bold and courageous man, Brian Boru was widely regarded as an inmiensely effective ruler. While it would have been impossible for me to credit Brendan with Brian Bom's accomplishments, I can't help
342 I PHOEBE CONN
but believe ancestors with my hero and heroine's intelligence and bravery must have inspired them,
I would love to hear from readers who would like ta ■ comment on Brendan and Dana's love story. Please write to me in care of Warner Books/Popular Library, 666 Fifth Avenue,. New York, New York 10103.
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PHOEBE CONN
A true romance superstar, Phoebe Conn was inspired to begin writing back in 1980 after seeing a line of romance novels advertised on TV. Since that momentous afternoon, she has written eight bestselling historical romances, won the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, and has made the Neu/ York Times bestseller list with her unforgettable epic. Captive Heart.
Phoebe Conn's novels celebrate love throughout the ages from the glorious days of the Vikings to the blazing passions of the Wild West and beyond. But no matter what the setting, her novels keep her fans coming back again and again. According to them, she creates some of the most exciting- heroes in romantic fiction today.
A former Los Angeles school teacher who dreamed of becoming an author, Phoebe Conn firmly believes we can all write our own happy endings. She welcomes all reader comments. Please write to her care of Warner Books, Inc., 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10103.